Rangers hit with massive selection headache for Malmo

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Rangers hit with massive selection headache for Malmo
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - MAY 25: Dujon Sterling of Rangers arrives at the stadium prior to the Scottish Cup Final match between Celtic and Rangers at Hampden Park on May 25, 2024 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Rangers have a gigantic selection headache for Malmo this Thursday, after it was 99% confirmed Turk Ridvan Yilmaz will not be available, meaning Philippe Clement doesn’t have a single left back available to face the Swedes, aside Robbie Fraser.

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The selection crisis comes from Jefte’s yellow card against Kyiv, which means the Brazilian is suspended for the trip to the Scandinavian giants in the Europa League, and of course he himself was only in there due to Yilmaz’ injury in itself.

Ridvan is regarded as incredibly unlikely to make Thursday, and of course is a touch off match fitness as it is, having been injured in mid-August. The remaining options are youth product Fraser, who has 25 minutes of senior career football with the Famous, and Dujon Sterling, who is a terrible, terrible left back but has played there before.

It’s a truly atrocious selection headache for Clement who will almost certainly plump for the ex-Chelsea man, alongside Propper, Souttar and captain James Tavernier.

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Rangers are most certainly soft-centred as it is, with 3 bad results in ‘bigger’ matches in recent weeks (Kyiv x2 and Celtic) so against a hardy Swedish outfit the FBs being as vulnerable as they currently are isn’t ideal.

It’s a blow – we already knew Jefte wasn’t available, but the blow is that Ridvan 99% won’t make it in time either, meaning Rangers have just Fraser or Sterling to rely on in that slot

Is it time for Fraser to stand up?

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Do we really see Clement taking that ‘risk’?

Probably not.

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